Fall Festival of Arts & Crafts at Smiling Hill Farm. Photo courtesy of United Maine Craftsmen, Inc.

Fall Festival of Arts & Crafts
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Smiling Hill Farm, 781 County Road, Westbrook, $2, 12 and under free. unitedmainecraftsmen.com
The Festival of Arts & Crafts, hosted by United Maine Craftsmen and Smiling Hill Farm, celebrates 18 years of gathering extraordinary artists and makers. More than 80 local artisans will be set up at Smiling Hill Farm (say hi to a goat while you’re there), including Buzy Bz Studio, East Point Designs, Grey Goose Gourmet, Liberty Farm and Forge, Morning Glory Studios and The Unintentional Seamstress. No worries if mother nature gets up on the wrong side of the bed; the rain date is on Sunday.

Oktoberfest Portland happens at Thompson’s Point on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Oktoberfest Portland

Oktoberfest Portland
3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Thompson’s Point, Portland, $45.99, 21-plus. oktoberfestportlandmaine.com
There’s no better way to start ushering in the fall than with an Oktoberfest celebration. Oktoberfest Portland includes unlimited samples from more than 40 breweries from around Maine and New England, including Oxbow, Rising Tide, Shipyard, Lone Pine, Nonesuch River, Foolproof and Otter Creek. But you’ll do more than just drink. Games include Samuel Adams stein lifting, Sticky Brand Plinko, Long Trail mini-putt and the L.L. Bean soccer dart board, among many others. You’ll also hear tunes from Josh Panda Band and The Oktoberfest German Band. Food will be available for purchase from Melt, Locally Sauced, Maine-ly Meatballs, Bar Harbor Lobster Co., The Poutine Co. and The Skinny Pancake.

UbjsP/Shutterstock.com

Asylum: Benefit for our displaced brothers and sisters
7 p.m. Saturday. Goodfire Brewing, 219 Anderson St., Portland, $25. goodfirebrewing.com
Goodfire Brewing invites all those who’d like to support the newest members of the Portland community from Central Africa to a gathering out on its patio, lit by an installation by Pandora LaCasse, the artist responsible for Portland’s incredible holiday lights. You’ll hear music from VVildflovver, Superorder, Contrapposto and No Wolf Pack. Neighboring businesses Blue Lobster Wines, Eighty Twenty and Lone Pine Brewing will be on hand with drink specials, and food will be available from Mr. Tuna and Eaux. All tickets include one 12-ounce pour and five raffle tickets for goodies from Goodfire, Wild Goose Sailing Adventures, Good Medicine Collective, High Roller Lobster Co. and Mr. Tuna. All proceeds will benefit the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project.

Paddle for the Promenade is on Sunday. Svetlana Leybova/Shutterstock.com

Paddle for the Promenade
7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday. East End Beach, Cutter Street, Portland, $40. eventbrite.com
Hey paddlers, we think this event will really float your boat! Friends of the Eastern Promenade presents their inaugural Paddle for the Promenade, a fundraiser to help support their mission to protect and enhance the Eastern Promenade. Take your pick from a 9.75-mile competitive course or a 4.75-mile noncompetitive course on Casco Bay, for kayaks (singles and doubles) and stand-up paddleboards. Portland Paddle will be on site renting SUPs and kayaks for an additional fee, and those funds will be donated to the Friends.

Lincoln Peirce. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

Maine Voices Live with Lincoln Peirce
7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10. One Longfellow Square, 181 State St., Portland, $10, $15.  eventbrite.com
We’ve got a question for fans of the long-running comic strip “Big Nate.” Did you know that the strip’s writer and illustrator, Lincoln Peirce, is a Mainer? It’s true! Here’s your chance to catch an intimate conversation between Peirce and Portland Press Herald digital director and comic book fan Chad Gilley. If you’ve ever wondered about the inspiration for rebellious sixth-grader Nate Wright, you won’t want to miss this. A book signing will happen after the interview, so bring your own or grab one from the Longfellow Books pop-up store.